Fire-escape



(No Model.)

- S. H. ROPER.

FIRE ESCAPE.

1%.. 514,094; Patented Feb. 6,- 1894.

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UNi'rnn {STATES SYLVESTER H. ROPER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,094, dated February 6, 1894.

Application filed May 19, 1893- Serial No. 474,764:- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SYLVESTER H. RoPER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of fire escapes'in which an object or person is lowered by means of a line which unwinds from a reel or drum. An apparatus embodying these features is shown in my former Patent No. 439,191, granted October 28, 1890, and means are there illustrated whereby a suitable fluid may be employed as a retarding agent to prevent too rapid rotation of the reel or drum in unwinding.

The object of the present invention is to provide improved means for securing this retarding effect through the agency of fluid.

To this end the invention may be said to consist in combining with a spindle and drum to which a line is attached, a series of radial blades fast with the spindle, a chamber inclosing said blades and fast with the drum, and aspindle rotatively supported in said chamber and having blades which engage those of the first named spindle.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and combina tions of parts to be describedhereinafter and pointed out in the claims. 7

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 shows'a side elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 shows a view of the opposite side with the cover of the chamber removed. Fig. 3 shows a section on line 3, 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows the chamber in section and the inclosed gears in elevation.

The letter a designates a casing which is adapted to be suspended from asuitable fixed support, as a sill, by means of a chain a. attached to it and having a hook a. at its free end. Thus the said casing will be held practically stationary. A spindle b extends through the saidcasing, and a drum or .reel 1) is mounted in said spindle. A line, pref erably a steel tape, 0 is attached to the drum and winds on the same within the casing, the latter having an opening in one side through which the tape issues from the casing. The

spindle b projects from the casing, as at 12 and a series of radial blades 1) are formed upon it, this extension of the spindle and the radial blades forming in effect a gear wheel.

A chamber 01 is fast with the drum (9' and one side, a of the casingis preferably fixedly secured to said chamber. The chamber incloses the blades 19 and itsinner wall extends in the line of a circle, so that the ends ofthe blades may closely [it it. The chamber has a correspondingly formed portion in which a spindle p is rotatively supported; said spindle carrying a number of radial blades 19' which intermesh with the blades b. The spindle p and blades 19 form in effecta planetary gear.

The chamber d is filled with fluid, preferably glycerine on account of its density, and the operation is as follows: The object or per son to be lowered is attached to the tape 0. The unwinding of the tape rotates the drum 1) and with it the chamber d, and the gear 19' is carried around the gear I), the latter remaining stationary while the former moves around it, and is thereby also rotated on its own center. The fluid in the chamber offers resistance to the blades 10' and b which form movable walls between which the fluid is pressed as the blades interlock, and hence the rotation of the drum is retarded. The resistance is wholly between the two blades that are confronting and approaching each other, the escape being cut off by the contacting blades, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, from which it will be understood that the fluid is pressed between the two blades 19 b and that escape is out 01f by contact of the blades p and b. This resistance is such as to make the descent of a comparatively heavy body perfectly safe.

Provision is made for re-winding the tape while the resistance is dormant, as follows: The spindle projects from the case a, as at a and a ratchet h is affixed to it, in the present instance, by flattening two sides of the spindle and correspondingly shaping the opening in the ratchet which receives the spindle, and by screwing a nut h on the end of the spindle, which is threaded for the purpose. The ratchet works close to the case, and a pawl h is pivoted to the latter and pressed into engagement with the ratchet by a spring If.

The direction of rotation of the drum during the unwinding of the tape is such that the pawl h forms a stop, which prevents rotation of the ratchet and consequently of the spindle, and hence the drum turns on the spindle and the resistance is active. hen the drum is rotated in the reverse direction, the pawl no longer acts as a stop and the ratchet is free to pass it. Hence the drum and spindle turn together, and the gear 11 will turn as the chamber turns, and no relative action of the two gears will, take place, and consequently there will be no resistance.

The tape may be wound up by means of a crank i, which may be screwed into a hole 11' in the edge of the chamber cover (1, and when not in use may be carried in a holder j so cured to the case a.

It is evident that the construction here shown may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim- 1, A fire escape comprising in its construction a spindle and support therefor, a drum on the spindle, a line attached to said drum, a plurality of radial blades fast with the spindle, a chamber inclosing said blades and fast with the drum, and a spindle rotatively snpported in the said chamber and having blades which engage those of the first named spindle.

2. A fire escape comprising in its construction a spindle and support therefor, a drum on the spindle, a line attached to said drum, a plurality of radial blades fast with the spindle, a chamber inclosing said blades and fast with the drum,aspindle rotatively supported in the said chamber and having blades which engage those of the first named spindle, a ratchet affixed to the spindle, and a pawl on the spindle support and engaging the ratchet.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 12th day of May, A. D. 1893.

SYLVESTER H. ROPER. Witnesses:

(J. F. BROWN, A. D. HARRISON. 

